By Marcelle Meyer
Every news headline today seems to be lambasting Donald Trump as the deterioration of American politics and the single worst thing that could happen to this country. There is no reason to deny that Trump’s policies and statements are generally racist, sexist and aggressive toward other candidates. However, some good might come out of the strange phenomenon that is Trump after all. While Trump is mobilizing much of the once-hidden Republican Party, succeeding in many states, he is also creating a new enemy for himself — the rest of the American people.
According to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, minority groups are statistically less likely to vote in the United States. This is the result of a combination of socioeconomic barriers. Minority groups tend to have lower incomes and have a more difficult time taking time off of work to vote, along with accessing voting stations in a political climate that does not truly address the needs of these diverse populations.
However, with Trump threatening to deport Mexican immigrants and build his signature wall, it appears that he may have unintentionally included those he works against into the political process.
The New York Times reported that naturalization applications among Hispanic immigrants have risen more than they normally do in election years. Additionally, many immigrant communities are mobilizing to vote against Trump within both parties. Taking this into consideration, should Trump win the nomination, the democratic nominee will have the votes of not only Democrats and moderates, but also the often-forgotten minority groups.
It appears as though Trump’s victories are digging his own political grave. Even republicans are aggressively fighting against a Trump victory in the primary, so there is an additional chance that Republican voter turnout will be low if he runs in the general election.
From a political standpoint, for those seeking to “make Donald Drumpf again,” his victories may be the best solution to their problems. But the additional advantage here is a more long-term, social implication. This abnormally contentious election season is bringing forward the voices of people so often left out of the political process. It has ignited a fierce opposition to a very real threat from minority groups, and these groups are beginning to participate in a way they have not before.
The Democratic Party, normally supported by racial minorities more so than the Republican Party, has been trying to appeal to this voter base for decades. The shocking truth is that, perhaps, America needed the exact opposite.
